Monday, October 24, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Milkshake Grins
Want to know how to make a boy this happy?
Have daddy make milkshakes.
Thanks Dad! You are the best!
Have daddy make milkshakes.
Thanks Dad! You are the best!
Tears of Joy
Yesterday, I worked from home. Stuart came home early and we decided to go pick up Jack from preschool together. We watched through his classroom window for a moment, and he was content. The second he saw his parents, he ran toward us. When I scooped him up in my arms, he was crying...tears of joy. I have never seen that before in a 4 year old.
Although he is doing well in school, and having no problems, we spend hours at home where he attempts to negotiate school. He doesn't want me to work, or he wants me to work from home while he plays, or he wants Chloe to teach him things instead of school, or he just doesn't want to learn any thing else.
Man, I love this boy. I wish I didn't have to be away from him.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
It's HALLOWEEN Time!
Yes, we broke out the Halloween decorations last weekend.
I love our silly boy. He is unique.
I don't know what is happening with Jack and skeletons, but he still loves them. We can't seem to go past a Halloween display without picking out a new one. He even likes to sleep with them. Good thing the kid isn't scared of much! Oh, and we have bought 2 new small ones since this picture was taken.
So, you may know that Jack really wants another pet. Specifically, he wants a dog or a cat. He knows that cats are out of the question with dad's allergies. When we took out the decorations, he found one of our Halloween cats and gave it to his dad, saying, "Try and not be allergic to that cat."
I love our silly boy. He is unique.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Too Many Transitions
Ok, I know I haven't posted in awhile. I've been a little busy. This is not just because of work, but because of Jack. He has had a rough few weeks. His mom (and his best friend) got a full time job, 2 days later, he started preschool. After just 2 weeks, we pulled him out of preschool and put him in a different one. It was a tough decision. I hate that he went through so much change in just under a month. It's a lot for a little boy to take.
We did learn some important lessons. First, trust your instincts. When we first saw the private school we enrolled him in, we were impressed. We also loved the director. However, 5 days before school started, we took him to meet the teacher night and red flags went up for both Stuart and I. First, there was no teacher for his class, and we were given multiple reasons why, but ultimately, they had to hire a new teacher. Second, the classroom was very sterile compared to the other preschool rooms. We just felt like it wasn't what we had signed up for in terms of schools for Jack. Then, on the first day of school, we weren't crazy about the teacher they did hire. She wasn't bad, she was just better suited for older kids. (She normally teaches 3rd grade.) It made it worse when she was late on the second day of school and we waited in another classroom. The other classroom was so different, and so was the teacher. She got down on the same level as the kids and interacted with them, and the room was set up for fun and learning. It made Jack's class look sad by comparison. It wasn't the right environment for Jack. It was such a negative experience, and I cried a LOT. I won't go into all the details, but I regret every day we made him go there.
Thankfully, he is in a better place now. He never cries in school, he is learning, doesn't have any issues, and is a happy participant, instead of a "disruption." But, even then, the first 2 weeks at the new school were rough. Although he cried every afternoon at the old school, he was familiar with it, and the kids...as a result, he asked every night if he could go back to his old school. It broke my heart.
I hate when he is sad. I'll never stop feeling that way about him. The physical pain I feel when he is upset is impossible to describe. I wish he never had to be sad.
So, in the midst of all of these changes, we have been trying to make sure he has some stability. He still sees his babysitter, Chloe, when we have date night. In fact, lately, he tries to negotiate; he asks for Chloe to come watch him while mommy is at work. He is adament that she could teach him stuff, instead of the school. We have also scheduled some fun playdates with his old neighborhood friends. This has been challenging since everyone is attending different schools, but is so worth the effort. Even a couple of times a week makes him so happy!
I did take some pictures during one of our outings last week. We went to our neighborhood park to meet his friend Jamie. The sunset was bright orange. It was so cool...although, you can't tell from this picture (my camera isn't the best.)
Of course they are still 4 year old boys and eventually got bored, at which point, she cried because she lost her audience.
We did learn some important lessons. First, trust your instincts. When we first saw the private school we enrolled him in, we were impressed. We also loved the director. However, 5 days before school started, we took him to meet the teacher night and red flags went up for both Stuart and I. First, there was no teacher for his class, and we were given multiple reasons why, but ultimately, they had to hire a new teacher. Second, the classroom was very sterile compared to the other preschool rooms. We just felt like it wasn't what we had signed up for in terms of schools for Jack. Then, on the first day of school, we weren't crazy about the teacher they did hire. She wasn't bad, she was just better suited for older kids. (She normally teaches 3rd grade.) It made it worse when she was late on the second day of school and we waited in another classroom. The other classroom was so different, and so was the teacher. She got down on the same level as the kids and interacted with them, and the room was set up for fun and learning. It made Jack's class look sad by comparison. It wasn't the right environment for Jack. It was such a negative experience, and I cried a LOT. I won't go into all the details, but I regret every day we made him go there.
Thankfully, he is in a better place now. He never cries in school, he is learning, doesn't have any issues, and is a happy participant, instead of a "disruption." But, even then, the first 2 weeks at the new school were rough. Although he cried every afternoon at the old school, he was familiar with it, and the kids...as a result, he asked every night if he could go back to his old school. It broke my heart.
I hate when he is sad. I'll never stop feeling that way about him. The physical pain I feel when he is upset is impossible to describe. I wish he never had to be sad.
So, in the midst of all of these changes, we have been trying to make sure he has some stability. He still sees his babysitter, Chloe, when we have date night. In fact, lately, he tries to negotiate; he asks for Chloe to come watch him while mommy is at work. He is adament that she could teach him stuff, instead of the school. We have also scheduled some fun playdates with his old neighborhood friends. This has been challenging since everyone is attending different schools, but is so worth the effort. Even a couple of times a week makes him so happy!
I did take some pictures during one of our outings last week. We went to our neighborhood park to meet his friend Jamie. The sunset was bright orange. It was so cool...although, you can't tell from this picture (my camera isn't the best.)
How do you calm 2 crazy 4 year old boys? Give them a 5 year old little girl to watch. We were shocked at how long they sat and watched her sing and dance around a tree.
Of course they are still 4 year old boys and eventually got bored, at which point, she cried because she lost her audience.
Well, I won't dwell on this any longer. Things are getting better, so I will try to share some happier posts about Jack. There is much more happy than sad...we just have to remember that sometimes.
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